Evidence from documents on woodslips found near modern-day Hotan shows that "Tibetan armies, including previously subjugated Sumpa and Zhangzhung elements" were stationed along the Southern Silk Route from the mid-eighth to mid-ninth century CE.
The records of the Tang Annals do, however, seem to clearly place these events in the reign of SongtsÃĪn Gampo for they say that in 634, Yangtong (Zhang Zhung) and various Qiang tribes "altogether submitted to him."
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The Zhang Zhung culture was centered around sacred Mount Kailash and extended west to Sarmatians and present-day Ladakh & Baltistan, southwest to Jalandhar, south to the Kingdom of Mustang in Nepal, east to include central Tibet, and north across the vast Chang Tang plateau and the Taklamakan Desert to Shanshan.
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Pollen and tree ring analysis indicates the Chang Tang plateau was a much more livable environment until becoming drier and colder starting around 1500 BC.
According to Tucci, the Zhangzhung kingdom, or at least its southern districts, were known by this name by the 7th-century Indians.